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Antibiotic therapy and leukocytospermia: a prospective, randomized, controlled study
E H Yanushpolsky1, J A Politch, J A Hill
1Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Biology, Fearing Research Laboratory, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
Fertility and Sterility
|January 1, 1995
Summary
Antibiotic treatment for leukocytospermia (elevated white blood cells in semen) showed no significant benefit over no treatment. Many cases resolve spontaneously, suggesting watchful waiting may be appropriate for this condition.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive Endocrinology
- Andrology
- Clinical Urology
Background:
- Leukocytospermia, defined as > 10^6 granulocytes/mL semen, is often found in infertile men.
- The etiology of leukocytospermia is frequently unknown.
- Effective treatment options for leukocytospermia of unknown origin are not well-established.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of common antibiotic therapies in treating leukocytospermia of unknown etiology.
- To compare antibiotic treatment with no therapy for resolution of leukocytospermia.
Main Methods:
- Prospective, randomized, controlled clinical study involving 41 men with leukocytospermia.
- Participants were randomized into three groups: doxycycline, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, or no therapy.
- Semen analyses and granulocyte counts were repeated four weeks after treatment initiation.
Main Results:
- Neither doxycycline nor trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole therapy resulted in a significantly higher rate of leukocytospermia resolution compared to the control group.
- A high rate of spontaneous resolution of leukocytospermia was observed after one positive test.
Conclusions:
- Antibiotic therapies are not more beneficial than no therapy for the treatment of leukocytospermia of unknown etiology.
- The high rate of spontaneous resolution suggests that watchful waiting may be a viable approach for managing this condition.